Top Ten “What Were They Thinking” Moments in NFL Draft History

Posted Mar 28, 2009 by Erik Sabol

Updated Mar 28, 2009 at 05:35 PM

10. With the 17th overall pick in the 2000 draft, the Oakland Raiders select…

SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI, kicker, Florida State.  Now, to be fair, the 1999 Oakland Raiders went 8-8, and lost 4 games by a field goal or less.  Their kicker, Michael Husted, made a mediocre 65% of his field goals for the season, and the backup—Joe Nedney—was only averaging 72% for his career.  Husted and Nedney were both axed after the season (Nedney would go on to average above 80% during 9 of his next 10 seasons after being released by the Raiders), and the Raiders found themselves in draft-day limbo with a Pro-Bowl quarterback, a solid running game, and a serviceable defense, but no kickers.  Enter Janikowski: the Polish Seminole with a cannon on his hip.  He was projected as a second-round pick, ridiculously high considering his position, but was snatched hastily off the draft boards by Oakland in the first round.  They passed over Shaun Alexander, Keith Bullock, Chris Hovan, and others.  Janikowski has since made 77% of his career field goals, the same as draft-day contemporary Neil Rackers (drafted 152 picks later), and—yes—that’s less than Joe Nedney.

9. With the 24th overall pick in the 1991 draft, the Los Angeles Raiders select…

TODD MARINOVICH, quarterback, USC.  In 1990, Jay Schroeder led the Oakland Raiders to a 12-4 record, division title, and playoff berth behind his masterful, mistake-free season under center.  He had a disastrous showing in the AFC Championship game, and three months later the Raiders drafted his replacement.  Schroeder retained the starting position during the 1991 season, but struggled with a first-round pick looking over his shoulder.  After a 7-4 start, his poor play nearly sabotaged the team’s playoff chances, and Marinovich was given the start in week 17.  Despite losing, the rookie posted a 100.3 quarterback rating and threw 3 touchdowns.  Coach Art Shell decided to start him in the playoffs the following week; Marinovich threw for only 140 yards, no touchdowns, and 4 interceptions in a losing effort.  After the off season, he picked up where he left off, and accumulated a 3-3 record by throwing 5 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.  After 9 career games, he was benched in favor of Jay Schroeder and would never take another NFL snap.

8. With the 26th overall pick in the 1997 draft, the San Francisco 49ers select…

JIM DRUCKENMILLER, quarterback, Virginia Tech.  Bill Walsh coached the 49ers for ten seasons.  He was named Coach of the Year, won three Superbowls, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1993.  When he said, “Don’t draft Jim Druckenmiller,” the 49ers should’ve listened.  They selected the Druckenmiller to groom as Steve Young’s replacement.  Steve was a fresh-legged 36-year-old thanks to his six seasons in the abyss called Tampa Bay and as backup to Joe Montana, and San Francisco figured that giving Young’s heir some time on the bench couldn’t hurt him.  Unfortunately for Druckenmiller, that’s all he was given.  He started a single game in 1997, and finished with a rating of 19.3 after throwing 3 interceptions.  The next year, he was buried down the depth chart and subsequently traded to the Miami Dolphins before being cut in training camp.

7. With the 6th overall pick in the 1996 draft, the St. Louis Rams select…

LAWRENCE PHILLIPS, running back, Nebraska.  The 1996 draft, as a whole, was bad for the Rams.  Outside of Isaac Bruce, the only offensive threat they had was a relatively ineffective, third year powerback who had lost a step since a dominant rookie campaign.  They desperately needed a quarterback, a compliment to Bruce, and a reload at several offensive line positions.  What they got instead were no Pro-Bowlers and 9 players who weren’t on their roster four years later.  The big miss was Lawrence Phillips, who was selected over Ohio State receiver Terry Glenn, Auburn tackle Willie Anderson, and Heisman trophy running back Eddie George.  The Rams, however, were so confident in Phillips’s abilities, that immediately after drafting him, they traded his predecessor to Pittsburgh.  Two seasons later, after 1200 yards and a 3.4 rushing average, Phllips was released for feuding with head coach Dick Vermeil.  The man who St. Louis traded—Jerome Bettis—ran for 3096 yards and 18 touchdowns over the same two seasons, en route to a Hall of Fame career.

6. With the 7th overall pick in the 1983 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select…

TODD BLACKLEDGE, quarterback, Penn State.  Fifteen Pro-Bowlers were drafted in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft.  Todd Blackledge wasn’t one of them.  By selecting the National Champion from Penn State, the Chiefs passed on Bruce Matthews—one of the greatest offensive lineman of all-time—despite the poor play of their line in 1982 (and the fact that four of their five starters were over age 30), and Hall of Fame quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.  The real head-scratcher here rests in the fact that the Chiefs seemingly refused Blackledge the necessary play time to develop.  After five seasons and a 13-11 record as a starter, Blackledge was released and played two uneventful seasons as backup in Pittsburgh.

5. With the 3rd overall pick in the 1991 draft, the Atlanta Falcons select…

BRUCE PICKENS, cornerback, Nebraska.  Coming into the 1990 season, Deion Sanders had already established himself as a shutdown corner.  Unfortunately for the Falcons, teams stopped throwing in his direction and absolutely toasted cornerback Charles Dimry, and safeties Brian Jordan and Scott Case.  Atlanta finished last in pass defense.  They had several holes to fill on offense (including a compliment to All-Pro receiver Andre Rison), but overlooked offense to sure up the defensive backfield.  Pickens was the second defensive back chosen in the draft, behind would-be Pro-Bowler Eric Turner.  Meanwhile, in Miami, 27-year-old cornerback Tim McKyer was trash-talking his way off his second team in as many years.  The Dolphins grew tired of his antics, and traded him to the Falcons where he would start all 16 games in 1991, and lock down a starting spot by way of 6 interceptions.  Pickens saw some action to start 1992 when Deion Sanders missed the season’s first four games to play baseball for the Atlanta Braves.  Bruce’s starting role was returned to Sanders upon his return, and over the next two seasons, Pickens bounced between four different teams before washing out of the NFL for good.

4. With the 6th overall pick in the 1987 draft, the St. Louis Cardinals select…

KELLY STOUFFER, quarterback, Colorado State.  No one expected the Cardinals to draft a quarterback, but they spent their first pick on the greatest passer in Colorado State history.  Kelly Stouffer started 16 games in four seasons.  He won five.  He threw for seven touchdowns and 2300 yards.  And not one of those stats was recorded with the team that drafted him.  Stouffer was the second quarterback selected in 1987, behind the immortal Vinnie Testaverde, and would’ve long been forgotten if it wasn’t for the monumental holdout his agents advised him to see through.  Stouffer (or rather his agents, Mike Blatt and Frank Bauer) decided that the $1.3 million over four years wasn’t quite good enough to buy his services.  The Cardinals disagreed, especially after watching incumbent starter Neil Lomax throw for 3300 yards and 24 touchdowns during the 1987 season.  Stouffer decided to re-enter the NFL draft in 1988, but St. Louis traded his rights to Seattle before he had a chance.  There, he toiled in mediocrity for four injury-filled seasons.

3. With the 11th overall pick in the 1979 draft, the New Orleans Saints select…

RUSSELL ERXLEBEN, kicker, Texas.  At the University of Texas, Erxleben’s leg strength was legend.  He made an NCAA-record 67-yard field goal in 1977.  He had three successful field goal attempts over 60 yards.  He was an All-American punter.  The 1978 Saints—just like the Raiders twenty years later—were in desperate need of a kicker.  They made a dismal 48% of their attempts for the season (four kickers attempted field goals for New Orleans in 1978, none were any good), and lost four games by less than a touchdown.  After using their first round pick on a kicker, the Saints went ahead and nabbed Pro-Bowl kicker Garo Yepremian after he was released by Miami.  Erxleben beat out Yepremian in a battle of ridiculous last names, but lost the battle for starting kicker, and spent much of his rookie year on the bench.  He was given full-time punting duty in 1980, and held it until leaving the Saints in 1983.  He never ranked top-5 in any kicking category for any season, and made 4 field goals in his brief career.

2. With the 15th overall pick in the 1991 draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select…

HUEY RICHARDSON, linebacker, Florida.  The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 1990 season ranked 3rd in total defense, 1st in pass defense, and 11th in run defense.  They allowed 15 points per contest, and boasted three Pro-Bowl linebackers.  What they didn’t have was a good receiver or a playmaking running back.  They intended to remedy the problem by drafting receivers Alvin Harper or Mike Pritchard, or running back Leonard Russell.  Three picks before them, the Cowboys drafted Alvin Harper.  Then the Falcons drafted Mike Pritchard.  Then the Patriots drafted Leonard Russell.  In a panic, Pittsburgh took the best player available: Richardson, a pass-rushing specialist from Gainesville, Florida.  They moved him from defensive end to linebacker, and he played exclusively on special teams in his first season.  After a coaching change in 1992, Richardson was traded to Washington for a seventh-round selection, where he was released after four games.  He ended his career after a short stint with the New York Jets, and didn’t register so much as an assisted tackle in 16 games.

1. With the 1st overall pick in the 1986 draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…

BO JACKSON, running back, Auburn.  Bo Jackson never played his last year of college baseball, and he blamed Hugh Culverhouse.  The Buccaneer owner had flown Jackson down to Florida for a physical examination before the NFL Draft.  Bo left Florida with a bitter taste in his mouth after Culverhouse insisted he quit baseball and focus solely on football.  The trip also voided Jackson’s final year of eligibility, and he was dismissed from Auburn’s baseball team.  He told Tampa Bay that, if they were to select him with their first overall pick, he would turn down any contract offer and choose to play professional baseball.  In their infinite wisdom, the Buccaneers ignored Jackson’s warnings and drafted him first overall.  Bo was in a Kansas City Royals uniform later that year.  He was drafted the next season by the Oakland Raiders in the 7th round, and became one of the most electrifying runners in league history.